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The climate of Europe
About seasons and natural phenomena = What Causes Seasons on Earth? = Four seasons Definition The season is a time of year usually associated with changes in time. In temperate and polar regions receive four seasons names: spring, summer, autumn and winter.The reason for the seasons is the tilt of Earth's axis relative to the plane of its orbit. The deviation is approximately 23.5 degrees. As a result, one of the planet is always more directly exposed to the rays of the sun on the other. This exposure alternates as the Earth moves in its orbit. Around the June Soltice, the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun and the Northern Hemisphere gets more of the Sun's direct rays. This is why June, July and August are summer months in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere points away from the Sun. So, people there have winter during the months of June, July and August. Summer in the Southern Hemisphere happens in December, January and February, when the South Pole is tilted towards the Sun and the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away. Meteorological seasons are reckoned by temperature, with summer being the hottest quarter of the year and winter the coldest quarter of the year. In 1780 the Societas Meteorologica Palatina (which became defunct in 1795), an early international organization for meteorology, defined seasons as groupings of three whole months as identified by the Gregorian calendar. Ever since, professional meteorologists all over the world have used this definition. Therefore, for temperate areas in the northern hemisphere, spring begins on 1 March, summer on 1 June, autumn on 1 September, and winter on 1 December. For the southern hemisphere temperate zone, spring begins on 1 September, summer on 1 December, autumn on 1 March, and winter on 1 June. In Sweden and Finland, meteorologists use a non-calendar based definition for the seasons based on the temperature. Spring begins when the daily averaged temperature permanently rises above 0 °C, summer begins when the temperature permanently rises above +10 °C, summer ends when the temperature permanently falls below +10 °C and winter begins when the temperature permanently falls below 0 °C. "Permanently" here means that the daily averaged temperature has remained above or below the limit for seven consecutive days. This implies two things: first, the seasons do not begin at fixed dates but must be determined by observation and are known only after the fact; and second, a new season begins at different dates in different parts of the country. In Great Britain, the onset of spring used to be defined as when the maximum daily temperature reached 50 °F in a defined sequence of days. This almost always occurred in March. However, with global warming this temperature is now not uncommon in the winter.' ' Characteristics '''''of seasons in Europe Warm winds sweep freely across central Europe because the western edges of the continent are not shielded by significant mountain ranges. Consequently, those Atlantic Ocean winds (or westerlies) in conjunction with the Gulf Stream, generally keep the European continent warmer than other locations at similar latitudes. In northern Europe summers are cooler and winters are longer and colder, with heavy snowfall. Eastern Europe is also cold in winter, but summers are frequently hotter than in the west. Across central Europe summers are certainly warm and often hot, while winters, although milder than the north, can be quite cold with significant snowfall. The Mediterranean region of Europe typically experiences hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. During the summer, 4 to 6 months without significant rainfall is the norm, as most of the precipitation falls during the winter months. Yearly rainfall averages across Europe run between 20 and 60 inches, depending on location. Most of the rain falls in winter and early spring. Areas east, west and north of the Alps generally receive more rainfall, while along the edges of the Mediterranean Sea and in northern Scandinavia, lighter rainfall is common. In the foothills and higher elevations of Europe's central and northern mountain ranges, summer temperatures are cool, while winters run cold with significant snowfall. In the southern mountain ranges of the Alps, winters are milder with much less snow. Resources: www.worlatlas.com = Natural phenomena = = Spring = = Wind = = = Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On the surface of the Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the Sun through space, while planetary wind is the out gassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space. Winds are commonly classified by their spatial scale, their speed, the types of forces that cause them, the regions in which they occur, and their effect. Winds have various aspects, an important one being its velocity; another the density of the gas involved; another is the energy content or wind energy of a wind. In meteorology, winds are often referred to according to their strength, and the direction from which the wind is blowing. Short bursts of high speed wind are termed gusts. Strong winds of intermediate duration (around one minute) are termed squalls. Long-duration winds have various names associated with their average strength, such as breeze, gale, storm, and hurricane. Wind occurs on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hours, to global winds resulting from the difference in absorption of solar energy between the climate zones on Earth. The two main causes of large-scale atmospheric circulation are the differential heating between the equator and the poles, and the rotation of the planet (Coriolis effect). Wet snow ' The wet snow is common for late fall, early and late winter and early spring. The wet snow breaks tree branches and in the mountains causes avalanches. '''Slavs ' The Slavs are very favorable for the development of agriculture. The most dangerous are late spring and early autumn frosts. They are most often fall into the valleys. The first autumn frosts occur usually in the first half of October, but sometimes in September. Late spring frost caused severe damage to agriculture. At late spring frosts fall in May. '''Fog The fog is a condensed water vapor in the form of microscopic droplets (at a temperature below 0 ° C - ice crystals) in the surface layer of air. In other words, it is a cloud that starts from the ground and reducing visibility below 1 km. = '' '' = = Summer = = Heat wave = A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is measured relative to the usual weather in the area and relative to normal temperatures for the season. Temperatures that people from a hotter climate consider normal can be termed a heat wave in a cooler area if they are outside the normal climate pattern for that area. The term is applied both to routine weather variations and to extraordinary spells of heat which may occur only once a century. Severe heat waves have caused catastrophic crop failures, thousands of deaths from hyperthermia, and widespread power outages due to increased use of air conditioning. A heat wave is considered extreme weather, and a danger because heat and sunlight may overheat the human body. Rain Rain is liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then precipitated—that is, become heavy enough to fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides suitable conditions for many types of ecosystems, as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop irrigation. The major cause of rain production is moisture moving along three-dimensional zones of temperature and moisture contrasts known as weather fronts. If enough moisture and upward motion is present, precipitation falls from convective clouds (those with strong upward vertical motion) such as cumulonimbus (thunder clouds) which can organize into narrow rainbands. In mountainous areas, heavy precipitation is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation which forces moist air to condense and fall out as rainfall along the sides of mountains. On the leeward side of mountains, desert climates can exist due to the dry air caused by downslope flow which causes heating and drying of the air mass. The movement of the monsoon trough, or intertropical convergence zone, brings rainy seasons to savannah climes. Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. Rainbows can be full circles; however, the average observer sees only an arc formed by illuminated droplets above the ground and centred on a line from the sun to the observer's eye. In a primary rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted when entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc. ' ' Lightning Lightning is an electrical spark discharge in the atmosphere, usually manifested during a storm ccompanied by thunder. Synonymous with flash when it comes to linear lightning. Lightning most often occur in cumulonimbus cloud. Also, if a cloud filled with positive charge closer to cloud loaded with negative charge is obtained lightning. It can be induced by electrified cloud and the ground. Dry winds Severe damage to agriculture caused dry winds. Normally dry winds have low speed and high moisture deficit. This leads to rapid evaporation from the soil, the plants and the surface of water bodies to wilting and drying of vegetation. Droughts are typical for late summer and early fall. They cause drying of crops, reducing yields and quality deterioration of agricultural produce. Flooding Flooding is called temporary flooding of a land area or territory with a huge amount of water as a result of raising the level of the river, lake, sea or ocean. Floods can cause significant damage to buildings, cars, bridges, roads and even take lives. '' ''Hail Hail is a type of precipitation of ice grains of between 5 and 150 mm in diameter. Due to supercooling of water vapor in the high atmosphere. There is most common in spring and summer. Hail can cause serious damage to cars, glass roofs, skylights, and especially on agricultural crops and plantations. Autumn Frost The first autumn frosts occur usually in the first half of October, but sometimes in September. Late spring frost caused severe damage to agriculture. Dew '' Dew and frost are small, often merged with each other droplets with temperature respectively above or below 0 ° C. Form at night and mostly horizontal objects. Weak wind that brings new and more humid air helps produce a more dew or frost. Most dew falls in early autumn when the nights lengthen the soil cools strong and the air is still warm. In the low dew or frost forms more often, compared to higher places. ''Winter = Snow = Snow is precipitation in the form of flakes of crystalline water ice that falls from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft, white, and fluffy structure, unless subjected to external pressure. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Types that fall in the form of a ball due to melting and refreezing, rather than a flake, are hail, ice pellets or snow grains. The process of precipitating snow is called snowfall. Black ice Frost is thick, smooth layered transparent ice on different surfaces – horizontal and vertical -ground poles, wires, branches. It is observed at the beginning and at the end of winter under changing weather and temperatures from 0 to -5 ° C. Formed when rain and fog come in contact with a strong cold surface. Droplets freeze immediately and cover the surface with ice. Freezing rain is that in most cases causes significant damage to agriculture and the economy. Frost occurs most often at the beginning and end of winter, but in January and February. Form at overcooling of raindrops that fall on the ground or on objects above it (poles, trees, roofs, etc.). Freezing damages the electricity it as icy and heavy wires tear. When frost break tree branches, is icing pavement of roads and stopped traffic. If there is snow on snow formed ice crust. Blizzards and storms It is typical for December and January, but can also occur during the remaining winter months. Blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by low temperatures, strong winds and heavy snowfall. Sometimes instead of new snow, winds invoke fallen earlier snow. Blizzard does visibility almost zero because it gets something like a white curtain. '' '' Sleet This phenomenon is the deposition and subsequent freezing (collision) of supercooled water droplets in mist or rain mainly on the windward side of various objects and ground. Is formed in a layer thick ice can reach several centimeters. Sleet is normally seen in the early and late winter when the air temperature from 0 ° C to - 7 ° C. But not uncommon, especially in littoral areas where sleet form over the winter. ' ' Rime The frost white, like snow precipitation, with powdery or crystalline structure and is deposited on trees and shrubs, wires, and the corners of buildings. Unlike dew and frost it can form at any time of day. '' '' Avalanche The avalanche is a sudden, rapid sliding of snow table down the mountainside. The reason for its occurrence can be both natural conditions and human activity. Usually formed in mountainous terrain and mix air and water with falling snow. Powerful avalanches have the ability to drag with her ice debris of rocks, trees and other materials on the slope. Avalanches are composed mostly of "flow" of snow. In mountainous terrain avalanches are among the most serious risks to life and property of climbers and mountaineers. '' ''